Monday Message

"I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family. None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment may affect any of us. We have a great welfare program with facilities for such things as grain storage in various areas. It is important that we do this. But the best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

Being frugal is hugely helpful so learn all you can on how to be frugal. It will take effort to read and learn different ways but in the end the skill will be yours. For sure, living on less is a skill worth developing no matter where you are on the income scale.

Some great books to read are….

Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn - she put out three then did a compiled one.

Make-A-Mix Cookery by Aliason, Harward, and Weston - they had two then put out a third kind of compilation.

Bakers Flower by Kate Manning - this is one mix and a whole cookbook using the mix.

These are a few you could try to get through your libraries.

Some helpful sites…

http://theprudenthomemaker.com/blog?view=entry&id=18774 - she has a great site for being frugal.

http://www.miserlymoms.com/default.htm - she also has books Miserly Moms and Miserly Meals are the two I have but are the old versions. I love her granola recipe best and she makes granola bars with this granola too.

https://stretcher.com/stories/970310e.cfm I find their site a bit harder to maneuver so I put this on the saving on your groceries one.

https://www.livingonadime.com/ I love watching their videos…you see the blueberry pancakes. This one you get a baking mix recipe.  Just had those this week - wonderful! The pocket sandwiches were made from this mix too. They have books too - Dining on a Dime. Then they have frugal ebooks too. They are generous to show and post recipes from their book…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWwS0sz7_Ag&feature=youtu.be - great to get food storage at great prices. We use when we can. Our closest is two and a half hours away but I love the powdered milk and potato pearls best but I love all the products I have tried. Love the white wheat and the instant refried beans. Just really good prices for stocking up.

I am sharing these with you as I have found them helpful in my frugal living, not as an ad. See if you can get through your libraries to be more frugal.

If you have frugal books that you like share titles with us all.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2016/03/frugal-kitchen-remodel_2.html - here I show making curtains from a shower curtain. Those are the red ones, the blue ones before were made out of napkins.

https://www.hometalk.com/10113567/5-curtains? Frugal idea. I have done curtains before from sheets and now I use sheets in rugs.

There are ways anyone can be frugal no matter who they are.

One way I was frugal was craftsy had a free weekend you could take classes from them for free on that weekend. One of the classes I took was a hat and mitten class.

This is how far I have gotten. I learned two color cast on and corrugated ribbing. It will have matching mittens. There are caribou waiting to be put on to the hat next.

So look around for things you can learn that will be frugal. Besides this class, I learned spinning techniques, how to dye, how to make baguettes and learned many things. I think they do this a couple times a year.

Gus kitty recommends books that will help you to be frugal. Some of these books I have had before we had a computer in our home. But that being said I feel you should have a library at home made with the old-fashioned way…paper. Yep, hard copies as well as digital. Same with your recipes - hard copies. I am not demeaning the digital age but I like hard copy back-ups…and I love books.

There are always ways to frugalize what we do. Yes, I just made up that word ;)

We should squelch the temptation to just buy all the time. It might take longer but its well worth the journey to learn new skills. Stretch a penny till it screams for mercy :p

Do the best you can! And let us know what frugal things you are up to. We all learn from others.

Monday Message

"We want you to be ready with your personal storehouses filled with at least a year’s supply. You don’t argue why it cannot be done; you just plan to organize and get it done" (Spencer W. Kimball, August 1976)

The Time to Disregard This Counsel Is Over

"As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year’s supply of necessities. . . . I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With the events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness. . . . Create a plan if you don't already have one, or update your present plan . . . We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we're putting away." (L. Tom Perry, in Conference Report, Oct. 1995, 47; or Ensign, Nov. 1995, 36)

It is time to take stock of where you are on your storage and skill building. Some skills are fast to learn, others take a lifetime but keep working on them!

I continue to work on dishcloths to replace mine. I have started on my box of gifts for next Christmas.

My fibromyalgia is in a huge flare right now and makes me slower but I keep pressing on.

I have been blessed over the years to go to yard sales and thrift shops. I have stored items that we would need for a huge savings because I was willing to purchase used. It took time and work to go to sales but you have to know you are doing it for your family.

What have I gotten to help us?

Oil lamps - it seems you can always find them. Once I got them I did not stop there. I got oil and wicks for the lamps, not all at same sale but I new I would need to look for them and we have been blessed with them many times. Like in the scriptures, I keep my lamps with oil in them. They are at the ready. So go the extra effort to be prepared.

Bread pans - I have gotten my pans from yard sales and thrift stores. There is no way I could afford to get them if I could find them now. Most were ten cents each. At thrift stores I have also found French bread pans, pans to make burger buns, a pan to make sandwich bread, pans that are twice as long, pans for roll making, a pan that slides as long as you want, and pans down to tiny. I also found a bread machine as well.

http://frugalmeasures.blogspot.com/2015/03/monday-message_16.html

Cake pans of every type from angel food down to tiny cheese cake pans and everything between.

Mixing bowls, stainless steel bowls, bread bowls.

Crepe maker, waffle irons, even one that makes panini sandwiches and one that turns into a griddle.

Knitting needles and crochet hooks, yarn, knitting machine, sewing machines, fabrics and sewing notions, electric blanket king size for ten cents that we have used for years.

Cookbooks - my favorite bread cookbook was $35 for new, I got it at a yard sale for five cents.

Food savers, canner, steamer canner, jars....

I could go on and on but I wanted you to know that getting things used is just a great tool for being frugal and is a huge budget saver.

I have shown you my bread but there are so many more out there. I thought you might like some different ways you can make bread that being said I want to remind you: one cup of all purpose flour and one tsp of vital wheat gluten makes bread flour!

Also, I selected YouTube videos that take more fiddling to those that take very little. The variations will have you doing great breads at home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw07XXTzIxE - bread, just another version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m08i8oXpFB0 - how to make baguettes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9ZvlKQmm6M - ciabatta bread

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVwrTAJtSNk - no knead rolls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vlp1RkJeQCE - ciabatta rolls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-A17hYeZ8w - sandwich rolls using little pans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HndA2UZmTIk - baguettes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUoA-F3sdvw - pretzel bites

I feel that knowing how to make bread and storing the items to make it is a huge boost to skills and storage. Continue to work on both!

Monday Message

“A cardinal principle of the gospel is to prepare for the day of scarcity. Work, industry, frugality are part of the royal order of life. Remember these words from Paul: "If any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (Keith B. McMullin, April 2007)

We go through times our income is tighter than others. Personally when things are better I make sure to purchase for the less money times we have. This way we can get through the harder times.

I find the more you know how to do or make for your family the better things will be, whether your income is higher or lower.

I find your mindset is as important because if you are angry that you have hard times or feel you deserve or are owed this, that, or the other thing then you will be very unhappy, but, if you prepare, you will be more at peace. And if you have an “I can do this” attitude and you have worked on your skills, you know you can fix or make do with what things should come up.

Bad things happen to good people, it does not make them bad. It is just how things happen. We should not judge and we should not blame each other. Work together. Another time may go well. If it does, remember to make ready for when things go bad next time. If they don’t, great, but be prepared anyway.

Keep those skills up and learn more. I need to replace my dishcloths. I cannot ever remember buying them from the store and if you have ever been gifted homemade dishcloths you would never want to buy them at the store. Knowing how to make them yourself is a great skill. 

When you are first learning to knit making these are a great place to start. I am using my own take on the popular Grandma's Favorite on Ravelry.

Use cotton yarn. I am using up scraps I have as well as what I already had in my stash of which I picked many up at yardsales and clearance sales, lots from others clearing out their stash too.

Here is my version of Grandma's Favorite dishcloth found on Ravelry. I am doing the no holes version.

My version (pictured above).

I use cotton yarn
Size 9 short needles

Cast on 3 stitches
Knit all three stitches
Next row = Knit 2 stitches in the third stitch by knitting in the front and back of the loop and then knit the rest of the stitches. 

(Here is a video on how to knit in the front and the back of a stitch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILcTB5hc0XM)

You continue to repeat that last row until you get 35 stitches on your needle then you…

Knit 2 stitches then knit the next two stitches together and then knit all the rest of the stitches. Do this over and over each row until you have five stitches left. 

(Here's a video on how to knit two stitches together - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBpbLmgwHFA)

Knit 2 stitches then knit the next two together, then knit the rest.

Knit one then knit two together then knit last one.

You now have three stitches left.

Bind off and weave in ends.

I tug it into a square.

This is smaller than the one on Ravelry.  I like smaller ones.

I am replacing my old ones which will go to my husband as paint cloths. He paints pictures. If you would like to see his work you can go onto his site www.dickshook.com. So he will use my old dishcloths.

So this is very frugal all the way around.

Would it take less time buying some dishcloths? Yes, but have you tried these?? Again, they last way way way longer. And knowing how to do my own with what I already have on hand is a skill that I can do. It saved me running into town and spending money on gas and buying something that would not last. I also find knitting them to be relaxing.

What skills are you working on? What frugal things are you doing?

It is a good feeling to know I have skills that help with filling in the gaps we may have in our income. But that doesn’t stop me from learning more skills that could help us.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/easy-homemade-pizza-sauce-recipe.html - here is a pizza sauce you can make rather than running out for pizza.

Do you ever say, "oh well, I will just get this or that," when if you did it yourself it would have taken less time and money? 

When we are frugal it might not seem like it saves a lot but when you do it many times it adds up. If you don’t have to spend you can live on less.

If you need to live on less, do it. If you don’t need to live on less, do it anyway.

When I first started working on this Monday Message we had ice overnight and everything is coated in ice.

Having storage is such a good thing. It means we are not out on the ice and it means that I also had ice melt ready for the walk way.

It is hard to think of everything, but do the best you can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_O8g6TaapQ&t=60s - this was so funny yet will help you understand about toilet paper.

So for years I have wanted this book and last week I got it for less than four dollars. It was written in 1978. I am enjoying reading it. She has a mix section where you can make your own mixes and lots of money saving info. I always look for information on saving money ideas.

See if you can get it library loan. If not I did buy my copy used on amazon.

Keep working on your storage. Keep finding ways to be frugal. Do the best you can.

Monday Message

"As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to extremes. Let us be prudent in every respect. And, above all, my brothers and sisters, let us move forward with faith in the Living God and His Beloved Son" (Gordon B. Hinckley, in Conference Report, Oct. 2001, 89; or Ensign, Nov. 2001, 73).

“Let us be prudent in every respect” - that is very important.

The old saying from the depression times “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.” We should take it to heart...

http://www.providentplan.com/601/use-it-up-wear-it-out-make-it-do-or-do-without/ - this is very much worth the read through.  I like their statement, “when you learn contentment, you break free of materialism and consumerism.”

http://www.oldfashionedfamilies.com/use-it-up-wear-it-out-make-it-do-or-do-without/ - read this one too, she uses this in a clear way as well but with different aspects.

http://www.oldfashionedfamilies.com/the-dreaded-leftovers-tips-for-using-what-you-have/ - this goes hand-in-hand with what she said in the above site.

http://www.oldfashionedfamilies.com/old-fashioned-cooking-substitution-chart/ - this is very handy to have at the ready to know you can substitute.

http://www.oldfashionedfamilies.com/how-to-live-a-simple-life/ this is a good read as well.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/14-steps-towards-living-simpler-lifestyle.html#_a5y_p=2596916 - I have followed this gal for years.

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/recipes-index/canning-and-preserving

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/recipes-from-scratch

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/simple-healthy-snack-ideas-for-under-1.html

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/stockpiling

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/eating-from-the-pantry-stockpile.html

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/more-eating-from-the-pantry-stockpile.html

https://www.littlehouseliving.com/10-mixes-that-should-be-in-your-pantry.html

You will not be disappointed in reading these FEW things from her site. She has gluten free recipes on there as well.

I will tell you I LOVE her scone mix! - https://www.littlehouseliving.com/scone-mix-recipe.html I use thickened powdered milk instead of heavy cream as that is what I have and it is terrific!

I got a used coat in the fall but the first time my husband wore it the zipper broke. I attempted to fix it but it broke again. Lets just say I hate plastic zippers.

This time I looked through my zippers (I have a stash from yard sales). I only had one that would be long enough. Actually, it was too long but it was metal and separated at the bottom. I could cut it to fit and I took out that broken zipper as you see in the picture.  Then I sewed in the new zipper - it wasn’t new it was a recycled zipper someone had saved. I am glad that they did as you can see the finished goose down coat below.

If you don’t know how to sew please learn how. The coat was used and free to me, the zipper was also free. So because of my sewing skill I was able to fix a coat when we otherwise would have had to get another. It now will last for years.

Along those lines, remember last year I mended my gloves by having knitting knowledge and knew how to darn….

So learn your skills - sewing, knitting, crocheting, bread making, budgeting, meal planning, cooking from scratch and so many more… You will be glad that you did learn these things. So by doing these things it helped so that we did not have unexpected things to buy and it can save money so that you can get your storage in.

Do the best you can!

Monday Message

"We can begin ever so modestly. We can begin with a one week’s food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs. . .I fear that so many feel that a long-term food supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all. . .Begin in a small way, … and gradually build toward a reasonable objective." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

I want you to begin working on your storage. It is so important to have on hand. We have had snow storms of late and knowing that I have storage and won't have to run to a store for anything is sooooo helpful. There have been huge multi car pile-ups about fifteen miles from us on the interstate - a huge reminder to brush up on winter driving skills and to have your winter car kit in your vehicles.

We must be prepared for needful things as best we can. Disasters will only keep coming we need to be able to not only care for our own families but those around us as well as far away.

Be sure you know how to fix what you store. Also store what you and your family like. It will do no good if you store things no one will eat.

I love knowing how to use our food storage items. Even if I have my food storage binder full of our favorites I still like to find more ideas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anRWO5_Q92o&feature=em-uploademail - great recipe video using food storage.

http://preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com/search/label/Dehydrated%20Apples%20Recipes  - since we talked about dry apples last week this has my favorite recipe for applesauce.

http://preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com/search/label/Dehydrated%20Carrots%20Recipes - we all have our ways of using carrots here are some for using dehydrated carrots.

http://preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com/search/ - meals

http://preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com/search/label/Oats oatmeal is a great food storage item.

Don't forget you have free food storage you can get simply by taking advantage of what you already have on hand, like making your own orange peel for baking and etc. by zesting oranges you already have and just drying them on a plate. Free!


http://preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com/search/label/Bean%20Recipes - bean recipes

http://preparednessnibblesandbits.blogspot.com/search/label/Rice%20Recipes - rice is great for your storage as well.

https://www.pinterest.com/fsme/food-storage-recipes/?lp=true - this is well worth looking at recipe-wise.

Now I have given you lots to look at so try and see if your family would like the recipes in your binder.

Look through your recipe file and see if you can adapt it for your storage.

For example, I will show you a great recipe we have stored around.

Green Bean Casserole

1 lb browned hamburger (could also use your canned hamburger)
2 cans or pints of drained green beans 
2 cans of tomato soup
1 tbsp  dried onion

Mix this all together and pour into a 9x13 pan then you top with mashed potatoes.

Bake in a 350 degree oven.

Now we like this recipe. We can use leftover taco meat in place of the hamburger.

So you take your recipe and see what you would need to store. We have all items in our storage to make this any time. I store potato pearls from the LDS  home storage center. You just add water and everything is in there already 

http://allaboutfoodstorage.com/wp-content/uploads/EVERYTHING-UNDER-THE-SUN-2010-word.pdf I love this method. So if we had this recipe two times a month I would need to do the math. She tells you how to do it so read her method to figure out how much of these items you need. I would need to make this two times a month for a year.

Also she has terrific recipes so if you are planning to stock up read her method. I have it printed and in my binder. She also has videos on YouTube...
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=wendy+dewitt+you+tube&view=detail&mid=FC86E40CCEAB93356EB8FC86E40CCEAB93356EB8&FORM=VIRE I think if you did nothing but watch this you will have great information

Keep working on storage and keep learning skills.

Monday Message

Get a recipe for versatile homemade bread HERE!

"I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family. None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment may affect any of us. We have a great welfare program with facilities for such things as grain storage in various areas. It is important that we do this. But the best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings. The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

I want to encourage you to continue your storage and if you haven’t yet started to get started. Everyone starts somewhere.

It's just as important to learn basic skills. I think if you know how to make bread it is one of the biggest helps. It takes a little learning but in our times we can learn so easily on the computer by just typing in how to make bread. YouTube videos shows you how to make so many breads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj7Sfu3IuYs - bread secrets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS2clOSZJ7o - amish white bread, makes two loaves. Get white bread down first then move to grains.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJDBqoDqXRo - amish sweet white bread

My favorite tip….one tsp of vital wheat gluten to one cup of flour  equals one cup of bread flour.

My tip….I let my bread cool for an hour then I use an electric knife and slice the whole loaf. This is just what I do. I could use a bread knife if no electricity but I like the look of using the electric knife. I pick them up at yard sales. I bag and freeze my sliced bread if I make more than one loaf.

I know you might be saying you already know how. That is great! Are you making it to get your family use to homemade bread? You might be saying, "someday I will." I am here to say someday things seldom come. We need to push ourselves to learn the things we want to learn. The same thing can be said of "I have no time." We need to find the time. Think through what you are doing. Sometimes we are too busy but we are not meant to be that busy all the time. Our bodies and minds need to rest to learn as well.

When we were first married my mother-in-law made bread. My best friend Shirley’s mom made bread. I was going to make bread. So I got a recipe for bread from my mother-in-law as there were no computers back then. I gathered everything I would need. I was working at the time so I needed to pick a day I wasn’t working. 

The day was finally there and I had everything. So I set out in the morning to make two loaves of bread. I set it to raise. After the time allotted I divided the dough in two loaves. Of course, had I known that my bread was supposed to have risen I would have known there was a problem. So in the pans went the dough. It did not rise, not even by two hours or three, no different at four hours. I thought perhaps I should put both into one pan and bake so I did. By supper I pulled it out…..it was so heavy. I went to slice it to have with supper and couldn't even cut it. I had baked a brick. So we laughed and buried it out in the backyard. I later learned I had the water too hot and killed the yeast.  

I kept trying and that is what it takes. But now you all have mini classes any time you want on your computer. A blessing for sure. Learn all you can and never stop learning! 

Years later I was talking to a doctor and she said that if more people made bread we would have less mental disease, that was back in the seventies….something to think about.

I can make bread by hand just as well as any machine in my kitchen.

That was my goal. As time goes on I have gotten fibro then I discovered the machines I have can do it just as good as I can by hand. I learned using bread machines to do everything except baking was just as good and helped me. So when money permitted I got a mixer that could do many loaves at one time.

So what I am trying to say is don’t turn your nose up at machines that can help. You look at thrift stores and you can find them for such a savings but remember that if you cannot get any of the machines you have the skill to make by hand…so no matter where you are you can learn this skill. 

Now I just picked bread making as one of the skills that would be good to know. If you are gluten free it is just as important to learn how to make bread using what you can for that and to store the ingredients because one thing is for sure - we all eat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih1XIyg3-f4 - this is fantastic whether or not you are gluten-free. She gives you both recipes this is so handy to have on hand.

There are other skills that help us as well so think what skills you want to learn. Let us know what skill you are working on and how you plan to learn, if it's on the computer or using the library or from a friend, let us know.

If you have a request on a skill, let me know :)

Monday Message

"Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year's supply of food . . . and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse: they have at least a year's supply of debt and are food-free." - President Thomas S. Monson

As many of you know president Monson just recently passed away so I thought it would be a good thing to use his quote.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTCodG3OOdw - this video shows how to use several food storage items. I love this gal. Tip: use one tsp vital wheat gluten to one cup all purpose flour to make one cup of bread flour, I do this all the time.

I have these apples in storage and also have my own apples that I dried I use them just the same with same results so if you dry apples and haven’t tried them this way you are in for a treat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FijOO3DchSQ&t=9s - this is good info on your storage as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUZpNGuvUQQ - this is a wonderful way to show how to use your canned meat. It is very easy to can meat I love having my canned meat. When I can it I do it exactly as directed for my area and the up to date canning instruction. Isn’t this a wonderful way to fix a meal when you are tired?

http://storethisnotthat.com/recipe/one-pot-spaghetti-skillet/ - here is the recipe she has for the video above. She says under thirty minutes to make. I think after church this would be a good thing to make if you don’t make it on Saturday. I often love leftovers on Sundays.

If you are in Iowa or Minnesota you can call 1-800-262-3804 they will give you any up to date info on canning and actually answer any homemaking questions you might have.

I cannot tell you how nice it is to have canned meat on hand with my chicken. I can just open and make chicken salad sandwiches and also a lot more recipes I have using cooked chicken. Roast? Yes, I have canned cubed roast. My favorite is to use it for making beef gravy for noodles or mashed potatoes or rice. I have hamburger and some pork from uncooked type ham.

Meat is easy to can easier than any other canned item I can. One more thing, my canned meats cost me less than I can get on any sale currently because prices went up since their canning.

http://storethisnotthat.com/everydayfoodstorage/ - here is the recipe page they have. Now looking at these recipes, do you still think food storage is icky food? I should think not.

http://storethisnotthat.com/build-basic-food-storage-10-week/ okay, I know I have a lot of their site on here but really I love these no-nonsense gals. Tap on this chart, this is a helpful chart on how to get in storage every month. Totally doable, don’t you think? 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNGgIVh-dik - here is a great recipe and using food storage. She also shows you the link for the LDS home storage centers which is what she shows in the monthly chart in the site before this one.

Now I don’t often buy food storage books but their books are fantastic. If you were wondering if they were good - yes, they are.  I have been following these gals since I started this blog. I suggest you look around their site and go way back.

It is helpful to try the recipes that they share and apply your recipes to a way like they do to use your storage.

If you plan to can your meat (and I highly recommend it), you will need a pressure canner that has a good gauge and have it checked.  

You will need jars. I particularly like pint jars for us and I use wide and regular mouth jars together. I can get twenty in my all American pressure canner. If I just use wide mouth I cannot get that many jars in, just a tip there.  

You will need new lids. Never use the used lids to can but I save the used lids to vacuum seal my dry foods. Since I write on the lids the date and contents I know which are used lids. Plus, I keep the new ones in their packages even if I only have a few lids left - a safety measure for me.  

You will also need rings. Now, if you need both you can buy new lids with rings, so there is that. But if you ask for rings from people getting out of canning they will gladly help you out. I keep my rings on wire hangers that I took apart and use like a giant safety pin. They slide on and off and are kept together.

Of course, you will need meat so look for sales.

I also will keep my freezers rotated by canning the meat to make room for new meat. This is why I can all year round.

So look up information on how to can and gather things together you will need.

On a separate note, Rachel Martinez reached out to offer us this great information on saving money on disaster preparation, so a big thank you for sharing! https://www.couponchief.com/guides/guide_to_saving_money_on_disaster_preparation

Keep working on your storage. Watch your sales and set money aside to take advantage of them.

If you know you will have extra money coming in, set some aside to stock up.

Do the best you can!